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A British teenager who was jailed in Dubai for having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl while they were on holiday has died in a car crash three months after he was released, a campaign group has said.
Marcus Fakana, 19, died in hospital in the early hours of Friday after police pursued a vehicle in Tottenham, north London.
The Metropolitan police said its officers were attempting to stop a “vehicle of interest” on Pretoria Road at about 12.52am. The force said after a short pursuit, police temporarily lost sight of it. Officers then drove on to the Roundway and found the vehicle had been involved in a collision with another vehicle.
Fakana, who was 18 at the time of the relationship, received a royal pardon from Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in July after being sentenced to one year in prison.
Radha Sterling, the chief executive of campaign group Detained in Dubai, said she was “heartbroken” to share the news.
She told the PA news agency: “Marcus spent the majority of this year in a Dubai prison which no doubt caused him long lasting mental anguish.
“It’s sad that of all of 2025, he was only free for the three months from the 3rd of July until the 3rd of October.”
Raphaella Stirling, the crisis manager at Detained in Dubai, said in a post on X: “Marcus had only been released from prison earlier this year. Despite everything he endured, he was grateful for the kindness of the British public, and he embraced his freedom with renewed faith, joy, and hope for the future.
“His loss is a painful reminder of how precious life is and how unnecessary imprisonment robs people of time they can never regain. Every day of freedom matters. Rest in peace Marcus.”
Tributes were paid to Fakana on social media. One person expressed their condolences and said: “I fought for you to be released from prison in Dubai, I did my best and this is how it ended.”
Fakana had been with his parents in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from the end of August 2024 when a “holiday romance blossomed” with another Londoner, who has since turned 18, Detained in Dubai previously said. She was reportedly one month from turning 18.
After returning to the UK and seeing pictures and messages, the girl’s mother reported the relationship to Dubai police, who then arrested Fakana at his hotel, it was alleged.
Fakana previously said the pair had kept their “holiday romance” secret from the girl’s family “because they were strict”, and they had hoped to continue seeing each other back in the UK. Detained in Dubai said he felt frightened when police officers arrested him.
In Dubai, if an adult has a sexual relationship with a person under 18, they can be prosecuted for having a sexual relationship with a minor. In the UK, the age of consent is 16.
The Metropolitan police said its officers provided “immediate first aid” at the scene before paramedics arrived.
“The passenger, a man aged 19, had significant injuries,” the force said.
“He was taken to hospital where, despite the best efforts of emergency services and medical staff, he died a short time later. His next of kin have been informed.
“The driver, a man also aged 19, was arrested after the collision on suspicion of failure to stop and dangerous driving. He remains in police custody.”
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